Randel & Groark’s 30 Year Anniversary:Greetings, Kudos, and Tails, uh Tales!
30th Anniversary Greetings & Kudos
For Randel McGee & Groark
What Friends are saying about our 30 years together!
(In the order that the greetings were received)
Wizard and Groark and Nathan McGee October 1978
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We had the opportunity to host Randel and Groark in our home in Santa Fe, New Mexico back in the days when he was known as the Wizard. At that time we had two children living at home who fell in love with Groark also.
Now we reside in Texas and have those two children, five grandchildren, and soon to be two great-grandchildren. We hope to reunite at the performance in Midland in December of this year.
Congratulations on 30 years of sharing happiness and fun with all of us.
Tom and Pat Baca
Wizard & Groark in New Mexico 1984
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That is a truly remarkable thing. I’m thrilled to have shared one tiny step on that path with you, and look forward to crossing paths again soon.
Best,
Antonio Sacre (Storyteller)
Antonio, Groark and Randel
Colonial Williamsburg, VA Storytelling Festival 9-06
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Congrats on yours and Groark’s 30th Anniversary!!!
Here’s to another 30 years of putting smiles on children’s (and librarians’) faces!!
Amy Vida
Commercial Account Manager
Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Box 398, 40 Industrial Road
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
www.enslow.com
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That is awesome! Happy 30th!
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Beth Townsend, Editor
Enslow Publishers, Inc. 40 Industrial Road Box 398 Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
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I congratulate you and Groark for your world-wide recognition for puppetry, storytelling, and simply, good natured learning and friend. I am proud to have worked with you and better, to be your friend.
All my best,
Kevin Cordi
“Together we make a difference with story.”
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How well I remember seeing Groark for the first time in Atlanta at the Puppetry Center. I fell in love with him that very evening! Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful Groark appearances with the world. He is truly a remarkable little dragon that everyone loves!
Congratulations….Mabs Buono
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Hi Randel & Groark!
Congratulations on your 30th Anniversary!
Looking forward to seeing you in a few short weeks,
Barbara Mc (McBride Smith)
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Mazel Tov – Cangratulations! 30 years… wow. 1978 WAS a good year… it just so happens to be the year Facundo & I got married. And just like you & Groark we still enjoy and make each other laugh!
hugs,
Carrie Sue Ayvar, Storyteller/Cuentista
North Miami Beach, FL
http://www.carriesueayvar.com
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Wow, Randel, how grand! Thirty years and each one, I hope, better than the last. I think you are phenomenal (my mouth still hangs open as I replay your work with paper, scissors, and Groark) and hope to see you at the Magnolia Festival this summer.
I treasure my Ocala Storytelling Festival name badge that you so wonderfully created. Warm wishes to you and Groark,
Pat Nease, Storyteller
Panama City, FL
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Our students have loved the performances. They are always entertaining and educational.
Bob Force, Principal Elbow Creek School Visalia School
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Oh my! How the years fly, eh? Happy Anniversary!!!
Angela Klingler, The Storyteller
Salem, NH
Randel McGee and Groark 2004
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Happy 30th Anniversary Randel and Groark! I’ve been privileged to “experience” the sheer joy and enthusiasm that the two of you make happen everywhere you go. I must say that Groark is looking fabulous these days…so much more youthful and approachable (SMILE). You’ve made a lasting impression in the hearts of many Midlanders during our annual Celebration of Lights Festival. I wish you all the best in the future.
Sue Roseberry
Midland, TX
Sue and Randel Midland, TX 2005
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Congratulations, my friend.
Gay (Ducey) Berkeley, CA
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Way cool!
Congrats on all the years together!
Sorry to see there are no trips to Washington State!
Enjoy where you do go!
Frank Frazee (elementary teacher, cartoonist, ventriloquist)
Centralia, WA
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WOW!!!!!! Loved the picture of you and Nathan and Groark!!!! And, of course, the one next to it is how I first remember you looking when I saw you performing outside at the 2nd Cal Poly Festival. You made an enormously positive and long lasting impression….But then you sorta disappeared into thin air…..I remember how long and hard Jackee (Marks) and I looked for you two when we were planning the ‘88 Festival in San Diego, knowing you only as “Wizard and Groark”, back before internet searches were even thought of. And oh, were we ever ecstatic when Jackee found mention of you in the paper…That you were doing a performance in LA. I came racing up so we could go and see you and talk to you about performing at the Festival…..It seems only yesterday, doesn’t it??? Where and how did 30 years go so fast? Am so very glad we found you, and have loved knowing you and Marsha and all your kids….Feel truly blessed to have you in our lives, even though we don’t see you anywhere near as much as we’d like to… Kudos, Cheers and Happy Anniversary!!!!!
Much Love, Lynne and Don Jennings (San Diego, CA)
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MANY CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That’s FANTASTIC!!!!!!
FELICITACIES!!!! (Hope that’s right, too tired to find Dutch dictionary) [“Gefeliciteerd” is the common response, I think.]
Tot binnekort, hoop ik,
Sharon Levin (Bay Area CA)
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wishing you’d come to new jersey….my students would love it! congrats and cheers to another 30!
traci solasky school counselor Edison, NJ
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Happy 30th Anniversary!! I am delighted that we will meet again in Japan next year!! My third time as well! Wonderful.
In 8 years for me, I just counted and it will be my 50th anniversary of doing ventriloquism! OMG!
Have a wonderful celebration and Congratulations to you.
With very best wishes,
Wendy Foxxx (Ventriloquist England)
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Hey Man,
Thirty years? Groan, you’re making me feel old.
Heartfelt, and heartiest congratulations. The few who have survived the ups and (mostly) downs of show biz for that many decades do deserve some adulation. And you deserve more than most. As the Auzzies say, “Good on yer.” Love to you and Marsha,
Luman (Coad Canada Puppets) Vancouver, British Columbia
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My grandson Aaron W**** and I went to see you at The Library in Albany Oregon. I told Aaron that I think I knew you from Federal Way, Washington. So we went and we had a great talk with you. Aaron was very impressed with your show. Good luck on your tour. You were GREAT…
Pat Chalcraft
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Dear Randel & Groark,
Congratulations on your anniversary! And I hope you get back to Singapore; what a great storytelling community they have there!
Fran Stallings, Storyteller Oklahoma
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Happy Anniversary,
Love,
Oklin Bloodworth
Music With a Kiddie Beat!
Madera, CA 93637
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C ONGRATULATIONS!!!! You have a wonderful story to tell and Groark is truly an extension of who you really are. Safe travels and hopefully our paths will cross soon so I can share a hug with my favorite puppet.
Mary Jo Huff Storyteller
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One would never know you were that old to look at you! You don’t look a bit older in the most recent photo than you did in the first photo.
Oh, and also give my best to Randel, and tell him he looks good too. Congratulations! Although our first puppets are long gone (rats ate their faces, sadly and most horribly) our Br’er Bear and Br’er Fox are still almost completely original at about 28 years old (they have both had snout replacements, but that is all) and we still perform with them. There is something special about a character that has been with you for so long!
Love to you and the family,
Michael Nelson Magical Moonshine Theater Vallejo, CA [I have just finished a new Groark puppet – I think this is his 20th + incarnation. RM)
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Congratulations. One of you has aged better than the other! I enjoyed reading about all of your travels. I so enjoyed my class and the help of both you and Marsha.
Good luck with all of your celebrations.
Evey Brown
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Whoppee! Congratulations! 
All the best,
Aretta Baumgartner
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Hey Randal! Congratulations! What a peach faced youth you were! You don’t look old enough to have a baby! That baby takes good pictures! Wow 30 years!
I will put something in your memory book when I find the pics from back then!
Mary Nagler, Congratulations!
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I want to say congratulations to Randel McGee for his success and dedication. And thank him and his family for being there for me when I was in his area in the late eighties. I don’t know what I would have done if it wasn’t for them helping me through a very difficult period in my life when I almost died of meningitis. I was doing school assemblies in the area when I came down with it. A big, big thank you, Randel McGee.
Bill DeMar Ventriloquist Indiana
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Mazel Tov on thirty wonderful years! I am very proud of both of you. Aloha!
Gale Warshawsky (Teacher, author, puppeteer) HI
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CONGRATULATIONS Randel, Marsha, Groark and Family!!!!
Lee Armstrong & Kamela Portuges-Robbins
Images In Motion Media Inc.
www.imagesmedia.com
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Dear Randel,
Congratulations, how time flies. I still remember some of your early performances. OOOps I guess, that is a give away to my age. All the best! Please a big hug to Groark and you family.
Take care,
Astrid Notte Vancouver, B.C. Canada
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Hi Randel,
Happy anniversary!!! It is Puppets To Go’s thritieth anniversary as well,
Love from Elise & Bob Nathanson Coconut Grove, FL
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Hi Randel – Congratulations! I think I almost remember you two back then.
George Pilling, District Library Media Supervisor,Visalia Unified School District
http://visalia.k12.ca.us/library
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Congratulations! (on) your 30th anniversary of working with Groark.
Takeshi Ikeda, Tokyo, Japan – Japanese Ventriloquist Association
Sisters greet Groark in Singapore 2005
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A True Story
by Randel McGee
We had been out on our first tour about 3 weeks (Sept. ‘80) when we performed at a rural elementary school in Mississippi. From the stage I noticed that there were some developmentally disabled students in the audience. They seemed to be having as good a time as the rest of the students.
After the show the principal came to Marsha and me excited. He said that the school had twin brothers that were severely disabled and unable to communicate. The twins did not respond to any stimulus. The teachers did not think that they would ever get through to the twins.
The principal wanted us to know that during our program, both boys had laughed several times. The staff now knew that these boys could be reached. He was amazed and very appreciative. We were very pleased and humbled.
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District Library Media Supervisor
Visalia Unified School District
Randel,
I could not believe how the early “Groark” looked in 1978 Interesting i remember Groark in the 80’s i remember that look when i first met you at a couple of festivals and getting to know groark too and getting your Cassette tape and playing it alot.well, good luck to you and to you Groark hope you go another 30 years all the best
Chad Harkins (WI)
Circa 1983
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Hi Randel,
Congratulations on a great thirty years!
Best, Dave Goelz
(of the Muppets – The Great Gonzo)
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Congrats on a great run! You are only getting better and better, (you too Groark). It is always amazing to me how much time passes and how little we notice until you rack up a good twenty five or thirty years doing something. But the fact that you have accomplished so much must be greatly satisfying to you.
Best,
Michael Goodwin
(Ogden, UT)